{{Short description|1997 song by Edyta Górniak}} {{Use British English|date=January 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox song | name = Perfect Moment | cover = | alt = | type = | artist = Edyta Górniak | album = Edyta Górniak | released = 7 November 1997 | recorded = | studio = | genre = | length = | label = EMI Music | writer = * Jim Marr * Wendy Page | producer = Christopher Neil }} "'''Perfect Moment'''" is a song originally by Polish singer Edyta Górniak from her first international album, ''Edyta Górniak'' (1997). It was written by Jim Marr and Wendy Page and produced by Christopher Neil. A cover by British singer and actress Martine McCutcheon reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in 1999.
==Martine McCutcheon version== {{Infobox song | name = Perfect Moment | cover = Perfect Moment.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Martine McCutcheon | album = You Me & Us | released = {{start date|1999|4|5|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = Pop | length = 3:49 | label = Virgin | writer = * Jim Marr * Wendy Page | producer = Tony Moran | next_title = I've Got You | next_year = 1999 }} English actress Martine McCutcheon covered "Perfect Moment" and released it as her debut single on 5 April 1999 by Virgin Records.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1999/Music-Week-1999-04-03.pdf|title=New Releases – For Week Starting 5 April, 1999: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=23|date=3 April 1999|access-date=19 July 2021}}</ref> Her version reached number one on the UK Singles Chart that same month,<ref name="uk"/> launching her music career after her leaving BBC soap ''EastEnders'',<ref name="bbc news">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/316897.stm|title=Ex-EastEnders star's perfect moment|work=BBC News|date=11 April 1999 |access-date=31 July 2020}}</ref> in which she played the character Tiffany Mitchell from 1995 to 1999. Over 22 million viewers tuned in to watch the final scenes of Mitchell's death after being hit by a car.<ref name="bbc news"/> The song also reached number three in Ireland and peaked at number 10 on the Eurochart Hot 100.<ref name="ire"/><ref name="eur"/> It was produced by Tony Moran and included on McCutcheon's debut album, ''You Me & Us'' (1999). The accompanying music video was filmed in New York City.<ref name="Sullivan, Caroline 1999 p. 14">Sullivan, Caroline (26 March 1999). "Albert Square dancing". p. 14. ''The Guardian''.</ref>
===Critical reception=== AllMusic editor John Lucas placed McCutcheon alongside her idols Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion. He stated that "her voice soars on the chart-topping power ballad".<ref>{{cite web|first= Lucas |last= John |title= Martine McCutcheon – You, Me & Us |publisher= AllMusic|access-date= 31 July 2020 |url= https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000473338}}</ref> Nigel Williamson from ''Billboard'' magazine noted it as a "sweeping ballad in the style of Celine Dion".<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Nigel |last= Williamson |title= Global Music Pulse |magazine= Billboard |date= 17 April 1999 |access-date= 31 July 2020 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Pg0EAAAAMBAJ}}</ref> Can't Stop the Pop described it as an "orchestral, sweeping ballad" and a "real showcase for her flexibility as a pop vocalist. The first verse and chorus are strikingly ethereal; there’s a calm serenity as the song shimmers and throbs alongside the gentle, warm vocals. If there was any part of Tiffany Mitchell in the song, then this is where she wakes up at the pearly gates of heaven."<ref>{{cite web|title= Martine McCutcheon – Perfect Moment |work= Can't Stop the Pop |date= 30 March 2020 |access-date= 28 July 2020 |url= https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2020/03/30/martine-mccutcheon-perfect-moment/}}</ref> Tom Ewing from Freaky Trigger noted that the song "starts with a gentle, gauzy arrangement that suggests some kind of celestial waiting room." He added it as "unashamedly, open-heartedly sentimental".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2014/10/martine-mccutcheon-perfect-moment/comment-page-1/?comment-page-all|title=Martine McCutcheon – "Perfect Moment"|publisher=Freaky Trigger|date=9 October 2014|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>
Caroline Sullivan from ''The Guardian'' named it "a titanic belter of a ballad", noting the "diva's vibrato".<ref name="Sullivan, Caroline 1999 p. 14"/> ''Liverpool Echo'' said it is "one of those soaring, Streisand-like ballads that no one admits to liking but mysteriously sells hundreds of thousands of copies."<ref>''Liverpool Echo''. 10 September 1999. p.29.</ref> A reviewer from ''NME'' described it as "total rapture".<ref>{{cite web|title= You Me & Us |work= NME |date= 12 September 2005 |access-date= 31 July 2020 |url= https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-nme-1327-342115}}</ref> ''Sunday Mirror'' commented, "Bound to be a huge hit. Sounds a bit like a breathy Kylie. Which is no bad thing."<ref>''Sunday Mirror''. 4 April 1999. p.44.</ref> ''Sunday Mercury'' noted, "It's surprising that Martine McCutcheon should release a ballad as her first single, rather than a catchy pop hit. But what's even more surprising is how good it is." The newspaper added, "It's a soulful number, sung with feeling by someone blessed with a superb voice. It's a slow burner, but it wasn't long before I was humming it to myself." They also concluded, "Goodbye Albert Square, hello ''Top of the Pops'' and a number one hit."<ref>"Martine McCutcheon Releases First Single". ''Sunday Mercury''. 4 April 1999.</ref>
===Music video=== The music video for "Perfect Moment" begins with McCutcheon standing in front of a microphone, in a room overlooking a New York City street. Sometimes she also sits against the wall or lies on a sofa while she sings. Occasionally there are black-and-white clips of McCutcheon at different sites in the city. More than halfway through the video, the singer is seen standing on a roof, singing to the microphone, overlooking the city. As the video nears its end, McCutcheon lies on the couch again, singing the last lines of the song.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG16jv-itYw|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/jG16jv-itYw|archive-date=21 December 2021|url-status=live|title=Martine McCutcheon Perfect Moment|via=YouTube|access-date=1 August 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
===Charts=== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
====Weekly charts==== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1999) !Peak<br/>position |- !scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref name="eur">{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1999/MM-1999-04-24.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=16|issue=17|page=10|date=24 April 1999|access-date=26 June 2018}}</ref> | 10 |- {{single chart|Germany|100|artist=Martine McCutcheon|song=Perfect Moment|songid=125478|rowheader=true|access-date=5 January 2020}} |- {{single chart|Ireland2|3|song=Perfect Moment|rowheader=true|access-date=5 January 2020|refname="ire"}} |- {{single chart|Scotland|1|date=19990417|rowheader=true|access-date=6 May 2011}} |- {{single chart|UK|1|date=19990417|rowheader=true|access-date=6 May 2011|refname="uk"}} |} {{col-2}}
====Year-end charts==== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1999) !Position |- !scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/assets/files/yearly%20best%20selling%20singles.pdf|title=Yearly Best Selling Singles|publisher=British Phonographic Industry|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924031612/http://bpi.co.uk/assets/files/yearly%20best%20selling%20singles.pdf|archive-date=24 September 2010|access-date=5 January 2020}}</ref> | 14 |} {{col-end}}
===Certifications=== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Martine McCutcheon|title=Perfect Moment|award=Platinum|relyear=1999|certyear=1999|id=5057-2623-1|access-date=5 January 2020|salesamount=638,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/official-charts-flashback-1999-martine-mccutcheon-perfect-moment__18749/|title=Official Charts Flashback 1999: Martine McCutcheon – Perfect Moment|publisher=Official Charts Company|first=Jack|last=White|date=15 April 2021|accessdate=15 April 2021}}</ref>}} {{Table end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Edyta Górniak|state=autocollapse}} {{Martine McCutcheon|state=autocollapse}} {{Authority control}}
Category:1997 songs Category:1999 debut singles Category:1990s ballads Category:Martine McCutcheon songs Category:Music videos shot in the United States Category:Number-one singles in Scotland Category:Pop ballads Category:Songs written by Jim Marr Category:Songs written by Wendy Page Category:UK singles chart number-one singles Category:Virgin Records singles